Steps

1. Rub cucumbers with salt (not included in seasoning amount) and roll them on a cutting board. [Key Tip!] Roll the cucumbers until their surface is smooth and any bumps are gone. Coarse salt is recommended.
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2. Cut off both ends of the cucumbers. Rub the cut ends together to remove any bitterness. [Key Tip!] This reduces the astringency near the ends, making them more delicious.
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3. After removing the bitterness, wash the cucumbers and pat them dry.
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4. Cut the cucumbers into 1cm thick slices.
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5. Place the sliced cucumbers and salt 1/2 tsp into a plastic bag. Remove the air, seal the bag, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
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6. Peel the ginger (15g), slice it thinly, then julienne it.
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7. After letting the cucumbers sit for 10 minutes, poke small holes in the end of the plastic bag with a toothpick and thoroughly squeeze out the liquid. Then, drain them in a colander and wipe off any excess moisture with paper towels. [Key Tip!] Removing the liquid from the cucumbers eliminates bitterness and helps the flavors to penetrate better.
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8. In a frying pan, combine soy sauce 60ml, vinegar 30ml, mirin (sweet rice wine) 25ml, cooking sake (rice wine) 1 tsp, and sugar 1 tsp. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
   🕒 05:02
9. Once boiling, add the salted kombu (dried kelp) 10g and the cucumbers, and bring back to a boil over medium heat. [Key Tip!] Stirring the cucumbers well and heating for about 1.5 to 2 minutes will improve their shelf life and give them a crispy texture. However, be careful not to overheat, as this can affect the texture.
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10. Once boiling again, scoop out the cucumbers using a colander or similar tool and transfer them to a storage container.
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11. Return the remaining pickling liquid to the frying pan and bring it back to a boil. Heat for about 15 seconds after boiling, then turn off the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. [Key Tip!] The liquid will become diluted with the water released from the cucumbers. Re-boiling it thoroughly helps to extend its shelf life.
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12. Add the julienned ginger, white sesame seeds 1/2 tbsp, and sesame oil 2 tsp to the container with the cucumbers. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over them and mix.
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13. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pickled cucumbers to prevent them from drying out. Once cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
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14. After refrigerating for 1 hour, your pickled cucumbers are ready to serve.
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